Axially movable piston type hydraulic clutch



Feb. 2l; 1950 H. A. JAMES AXIALLY MOVABLE PISTON TYPE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. so. 194e @n mn L I IIIllll Feb. 2l, 1950 H. A. JAMES 2,497,993

AXIALLY MovABLE PIsToN TYPE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Filed Jan. 30. 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /A\ H5 N El x Iii 2? ma l\\ g; I@

Feb. 2l, 1950 H. A. JAMES AXIALLY MOVABLE PISTON TYPE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 30, 1946 HAAMES Patented Feb. 21, 1950 AXIALLY MOVABLE PISTON TYPE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH Herbert A. James, Philadelphia, Pa. l Application January 30, 1946, Serial No. 644,382

This invention relates to an axially movable piston type hydraulic clutch, and has for its object to provide an improved control device for variably regulating the now of the iluid medium to vary the relative speed of the drive and driven elements.

A further object is the provision of a clutch and transmission embodying simple and practical structural characteristics which simplify the construction and minimize vibration incident to the operation thereof.

In the accompanying drawings wherein an improved embodiment of the invention is illustrated- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through the hydraulic clutch and power transmission, taken on the line I--I of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 1, but showing the cam drum in elevation,

Figure 4 is a detail end view of one of the end walls of the casing showing the arrangement of the cylinders removed,4

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the part shown in Figure 4,

Figure 6 is an edge elevation of the fluid control ring removed,

Figure 7 is a side View of the ring, and

Figures 8 and 9 are side and end elevations, respectively, of one of the pistons and the related check valve removed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral I indicates a hollow cylindrical casing having end walls II and I2, one of which is provided with a coupling sleeve I3 for attachment to a shaft I4 whereby rotary motion is imparted to the casing I0 and the latter constitutes the driving element of the transmission. Internally the casing I0 is formed with a circular series of spaced projections having longitudinal-bores and constituting the cylinders I5. The cylinders I are of less length than the distance between the end walls II and I2 and thus provide a chamber I8 at one extremity. The chamber I8 is in communication with the adjacent open ends of the cylinders I5 and also with the spaces I'l between the cylinders.

A drum I8fis rotatably mounted within the circular series of cylinders I5 and is closely fitted in position to provide a fluid tight joint therewith. Externally the drum I8 is formed with an endless cam groove I9 and the drum is reduced in diameter at one end. adjacent the end wall II to 5 Claims. (Cl. 192-59) .The latter is provided with provide a chamber 20. The extremity of the drum I3 is further reduced as indicated at 2| and rotatably supported in the coupling sleeve I3. The opposite extremity of the drum is formed integral with the driven shaft 22 projecting externally of the casing III through the end wall I2. a segmental iiange 23 engaging the adJacent end of the drum I8. The drum is held against movement axially in the casing partly by the segmental flange 23 and partly by the shoulder 24 engaging the end wall II.

The hollow pistons 25 are slidably mounted in the bores of the cylinders I5 and the ends adjacent the end wall -I I are closed and provided with ports 26 coacting with check valves 21 slidably mounted on the pistons by guide stems 28. The opposite open ends of the pistons face the end wall I2 of the casing and are provided with pins 28 slidable in diametrically opposed slots 38 in the walls of the cylinders and engaged at their inner extremities in the cam groove I8 whereby during relative rotation of the casing I0 and the drum I8 the pistons are caused to move back and forth in the cylinders to an extent which is determined by the pitch of the cam groove I9.

The Aclosed ends of the cylinders I5 adjacent the end wall I I are provided in the outer portions thereof with ports 32 and the split ring 33 is arranged about the series oi' cylinders and formed with a slit 3l permitting the ring to be contracted and in so doing to be closely applied to the ports 32 and prevent the passage of iiuid therethrough. Normally the split ring is expanded to such extent as to lie in spaced relation to the ports 32 and thereby permit the free ow of iiuid therethrough. The split ring is held against axial movement in the casing by pins 35 engaging recesses in the cylinders I5.

The diameter of the split ring 33 is varied to regulate the ilow of fluid through the ports 32 by axial adjustment of a sleeve 38 slidably fitted within the casing III and provided with an internally beveled end 31 engaging the correspondingly inclined outer surface of the split ring 33. Thus, as the sleeve 38 is moved away from the split ring 33 the latter is allowed to expand by its inherent resiliency, whereas when the sleeve is moved in an opposite direction the split ring is caused to contract and thereby reduce the area of discharge of the ports'32.

The-sleeve 36 is provided within the chamber I6 with a web portion 38 connected with a hub 38 projecting through the end wall I2 and provided externally thereof with a groove engaging 3 the collar of an adjusting lever (not shown) whereby the position of the sleeve 36 and the fluid control ring 33 may be adjusted as desired.

In operation when the sleeve 36 is moved axially to contract the split ring 33 the latter closes communication between the closed ends of the cylinder bores. The chambers I6, Il and 20 thereby form uid locks opposing an axial movement of the pistons 25 and causing the rotary movement of the casing t be transmitted directly to the drum i8 and driven shaft 22. In other positions of adjustment of the sleeve 36 the split ring 33 is permitted to expand and in so doing the ports 32 are variably uncovered thereby varying the fluid resistance to the motion of the pistons 25 and transmitting the rotary movement of the casing I0 to the drum I8 at variable speed ratio depending upon the adjustment of the uid control ring 33.

What I claim is:

1. In a power transmission, a casing, a series of cylinders in said casing having ports therein, a drum rotatably mounted within the casing and having a cam groove therein, valved pistons in said cylinders, pins carried by said pistons engaging in said groove, said casing forming a chamber communicating with the cylinder ports, said series of cylinders and said casing being arranged to provide an annular space there-between, and means mounted for combined radial and axial movement in said space for variably regulating the passage of fluid between said ports and said chamber.

2. In a power transmission, a casing, a series of cylinders in said casing having ports therein, a drum rotatably mounted within the casing and having a cam groove therein, valved pistons in said cylinders, pins carried by said pistons engaging in said groove, said casing forming a chamber communicating with the cylinder ports, a fluid control member contractable about the series of cylinders for controlling the passage of iiuid between said ports and said chamber, and means for varying the diameter of said contractable means.

3. In a power transmission, a casing, a series of cylinders in said casing having ports therein, a drum rotatably mounted within the casing and having a cam groove therein, valved pistons in said cylinders, pins carried by said pistons engaging in said groove, said casing forming a chamber communicating with the cylinder ports, a fluid control member contractable about the series of cylinders for controlling the passage of uid between said ports and said chamber, means retaining said contractable member against axial movement with relation to said cylinders, and means for variably contracting said member.

4. In a power transmission, a casing, a series of cylinders in said casing having ports therein, a drum rotatably mounted within the casing and having a cam groove therein, valved pistons in said cylinders, pins carried by said pistons engaging in said groove, said casing forming a chamber communicating with the cylinder ports, a uid control member contractable about the series of cylinders for controlling the passage of uid between said ports and said chamber, and sleeve axially movable in the space between the cylinders and the casing and coacting with the contractable member for varying the diameter thereof.

5. In a power transmission, a casing. a series of cylinders in said casing having ports therein, a drum rotatably mounted Within the series of cylinders and having a cam groove therein, valved pistons in said cylinders, pins carried by said pistons engaging in said groove; said casing forming a chamber communicating with the cylinder ports, a fluid control member contractable about the series of cylinders for controlling the passage of fluid between said ports and said chamber, and sleeve axially movable in the space between the cylinders and the casing and coacting with the contractable member for varying the diameter thereof, and means preventing axial movement of the contractable member within the casing.

HERBERT A. JAMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the le of this patent:

UN'ITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,028,522 Adams June 4, 1912 1,421,639 Wheeler July 4, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 285,452 Italy May 12, 1931 

